Flotation is a now well recognised method of separating valuable particles (“values”) from unwanted material (“gangue”) in many different situations. One set of particles, typically the values, are conditioned by various reagents commonly referred to as conditioners, and may also be treated with frothers and collectors, so that they become hydrophobic and will adhere to bubbles in a froth where they can rise to the top of a separation vessel and be discharged typically into an overflow launder. The gangue is typically hydrophilic or treated to become hydrophilic and remains in the body of water within the separation vessel typically sinking to the bottom and being discharged as tails.
Many different types of flotation cells have been used in situations from mining, where they are commonly used to separate out the finer particles, to water purification and other parallel uses. One of the problems associated with existing flotation processes is the difficulty of keeping the values attached to the bubbles so that they will be carried to the top of the froth and overflow into the launder for recovery. Most flotation cells incorporate areas of high turbulence or require the bubbles with attached hydrophobic particles to change direction which results in the values becoming detached from the bubbles to simply become entrained in the bubbly mixture or to drop out with the gangue. This factor, significantly reduces the efficiency of known flotation cells.